Oxford Circus: Met Police end operation after thousands flee in panic over reports of 'gunshots'

For a heart-stopping hour, it appeared a nation’s collective worst fears had come true.

On Black Friday on Britain’s best known and busiest street, packed with Christmas shoppers, commuters and school children, it seemed that terrorists had struck. At 4.37pm, hordes of people on Oxford Street were convinced they had heard the sound of gunfire and explosions.

It was a false alarm, but whatever they heard – or for that matter didn’t hear – prompted a stampede for cover. Shoppers ran for their lives, certain they were under attack.

Armed police response

The Metropolitan Police reported receiving “numerous 999 calls within a short space of time” that triggered its own anti-terrorism emergency response. British Transport Police said it had received a report of shots being fired on the platform at Oxford Circus Underground station.

Armed officers flooded the area. Oxford Street and the busy Tube stations at Oxford Circus and Bond Street were pressed into lockdown. Shoppers were urged to take cover in nearby buildings. The department stores that dominate the street, among them John Lewis and Selfridges, shut their doors and gave shelter.

Twitter users went into overdrive. On Facebook, people posted photographs of loved ones whom they could not contact and feared were missing. Olly Murs, the pop singer with almost eight million Twitter followers, posted at 5pm: “Everyone get out of Selfridges now gun shots!! I’m inside”, followed eight minutes later by “Evacuating store now!!! F--- heart is pounding.”

He would later, somewhat unfairly, be ridiculed for issuing such an overdramatic account but he was not alone in expressing his heartfelt terror.

Greg Owen, a 37-year-old Londoner, was certain the capital was under attack. “Guy with gun on Oxford Street near Oxford Circus I’m in the middle of it. Currently taking cover in French Connection,” he tweeted.

A quarter of an hour later he remained gripped by fear. “Latest update from the police ‘we can’t give you specifics. But there’s been shots fired and explosives. So please stay in the shop and move to the back’.”

Armed officers and ambulances raced to the scene. “Police have responded as if the incident is terrorist related,” said Scotland Yard in a statement issued at 5.16pm, 38 minutes after the first calls came in. “If you are on Oxford Street go into a building and stay inside until further direction,” came the advice, adding: “Avoid travelling to the Oxford Street area.”

Sophie Foster, 22, was having a drink with friends in a nearby bar. London had suffered four terrorist attacks this year already and Black Friday seemed an obvious and ominous day to target, highlighting tensions in the run-up to Christmas.

Miss Foster, like thousands of others in the area, was not taking any chances. “Outside the bar everyone started running and it was pretty frightening,” she said. “I heard a man was seen with a gun and I just want to get home as soon as I can.” By the time police began to report back to headquarters it was becoming clearer that the possible terrorist incident had not actually happened.

There were minor casualties. A man in a suit had a bandage wrapped around his head and blood seeping from the wound. He had presumably fallen as he fled. It was as bad as the injuries got.

At 5.39pm, a little over an hour after the first report, Scotland Yard was able to calm the country’s nerves. “To date police have not located any trace of any suspects, evidence of shots fired or causalities,” said the statement.

At 6.05pm it was officially all over. “The Met response on Oxford Street has now been stood down,” came the official communiqué.

Meanwhile, Kensington Palace announced that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would still be attending the Royal Variety Performance at the nearby London Palladium, although their arrival was delayed.

London, after a difficult, horrible, terrifying hour, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

One woman injured during stampede, police confirm

British Transport Police tweeted: "At this stage, we have received one report of a woman sustaining a minor injury when leaving Oxford Circus station. There are no other reported casualties. More updates to follow."

Three fire engines and 15 firefighters attend incident

In a statement posted on Twitter, the London Fire Brigade said: "We were called at 1643 to an incident at Oxford Circus tube. Three fire engines & 15 firefighters are in attendance. Please avoid the area."

More footage of people running from London's Oxford Circus as armed police respond to reports of gun shots. pic.twitter.com/g3NBzQiOLc

Witnesses describe panic as police arrived on Oxford Street

Lisa Markwell, the former editor of the Independent on Sunday, told LBC radio that she was travelling in a car through the West End of the capital when she a "mass" of people screaming and running.

"I was passing by car by Oxford Street Tube station. Suddenly people started screaming an running. From the back entrance of Bond Street station I saw a police car. Three armed police officers got out and ran towards Selfridges.

"It's such a massive shopping day, there were lots of people around."

She added that although she did not see or hear any gunfire, "It was just a large mass of people moving to get out o the way."